


Migratory Patterns of the Superhero

by Trumpeteer34



Series: Prompt Fills [11]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Beaches, Depression, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Read at Your Own Risk, Recovery, Seasonal Affective Disorder, minor spoilers for Avengers: Endgame, shared themes with Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 14:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18692968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trumpeteer34/pseuds/Trumpeteer34
Summary: ***POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME***Thor is the strongest Avenger. He will defeat whatever this odd feeling is.But he's just so tired.It takes a conversation with a friend to admit that even the strongest people sometimes need help.





	Migratory Patterns of the Superhero

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the named/recognizable characters present. They belong to Marvel. Other recognizable things belong to their respective owners. This was written purely for fun.
> 
> ***POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME***  
> This piece shares some themes that revolve around a certain character in Avengers: Endgame, so please read at your own risk in case of spoilers.
> 
> Timeline: This story takes place after the Avengers 2012 movie and before Iron Man 3.

_“—really must insist you wake up.”_

Thor blinked awake at the sound of JARVIS’s voice. His face was still mashed against the pillow, where he had spent a majority of the past day—or the last few weeks, if he was being honest. He had been spending more and more time in this state: tired and lost and just sort of drifting through each day in a haze of confused and downtrodden exhaustion.

He detested feeling like this. He wondered, not for the first time, if he had actually caught one of the many different Midgardian illnesses at long last. He recalled when a string of what Bruce had called _influenza_ had conquered Natasha, Clint, and Tony for a week not long ago, to the point where they were nearly bedridden.

But his nose was clear and he wasn’t coughing. 

He was just _tired._

He had been tired for so long.

_“Master Thor, this is rather urgent.”_

Ah yes. JARVIS.

Thor managed to find the strength to push himself upright. “What is the trouble?” he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, trying to motivate himself to actually stand up. He glanced across the room at the window. Outside, the sky was a miserable grey with snowflakes dancing from the clouds, dark and dreary. 

_“There has been a call to assemble. The team is awaiting your presence.”_

Oh.

Thor stared down at the carpet for a moment before he pushed himself up to his feet. “Alright.”

He called his hammer to him and drew on some clothes. He knew JARVIS said it was urgent, but he just couldn’t bring himself to rush. What was wrong with him? He was surprised Mjölnir still even came to him. He was not worthy of holding it, let alone wielding it. The team was waiting. There were innocents getting hurt. There were lives on the line. He had sworn to protect this realm, and yet here he was: struggling to dress himself and go to battle. 

What was _wrong_ with him?

With that guilty frustration, Thor managed to rouse himself enough to finally step out of his suite toward the elevator. Out of sheer spite for himself, he would complete this mission and then get some sleep. Perhaps that was all he really needed. To sleep.

Sleep sounded really nice right now, though.

Just standing there, waiting for the elevator to arrive, seemed to sap the negative energy he was using to steer himself through his odd cloud of apathy. He was left just standing there, wondering what he was doing and feeling drained.

He vaguely heard the elevator doors slide open.

He _did_ feel a hand come to a rest on his shoulder.

Thor jerked his head upright (when had he bowed his head?) and he took a step back, raising Mjölnir defensively. Had the tower been stormed? Had—

But it was just Bruce standing in front of him.

Bruce had taken a step back at Thor’s reaction. He had his hands lifted defenselessly, like he was trying to calm Thor down. The thought was laughable; their roles were normally reversed. He realized the team must have sent someone down to collect him. 

Bruce was watching him with a look of concern on his face. “Thor, are you okay?” he asked.

Thor was fine. He just needed rest and he needed to recover his energy. “I am fine, Bruce,” Thor replied, lowering his hammer. He stepped into the elevator and watched Bruce follow after him. “My apologies for the delay in attending our meeting,” he said as the elevator doors shut. “I understand there is a call to assemble?”

Bruce was watching his reflection in the door of the elevator as they began to rise. He still looked concerned. “Yeah,” he said after a moment. “There’s apparently a disturbance in a city up north.”

Thor nodded and tightened his hold on his hammer. He could still feel Bruce’s eyes on him. 

“Thor,” Bruce said softly, now looking at him directly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Bruce suspected.

How could he admit to this odd malady? Thor was not even sure if there was something wrong. He was just tired. He would conquer whatever this was. He was Thor, the God of Thunder, Prince of Asgard, Son of Odin. He was the strongest Avenger. He would fight this and win.

But just the thought of that was _exhausting._

Maybe this fight would spur up some energy to deal with whatever this malady was.

Thor looked down at Bruce and forced himself to smile. “I am fine, Bruce.”

==

He was not fine.

He _really_ was not fine.

Thor dodged around another attack and slammed his hammer down upon his enemy’s head, knocking it down long enough for him to jump out of the way of another incoming strike. He really wished he hadn’t zoned out for part of their briefing before taking the Quinjet north. He got the feeling he missed out on some vital information.

He did not know where they were, just somewhere north of the tower. It was even colder and even darker up here, but at least the skies had decided to stop the downfall of snow. It was simply an unforgiving kind of cold here, where each exhale of breath appeared in clouds in front of him and the air stung the eyes.

An explosion on a nearby roof startled him, and Clint’s voice crackled in his ear. “Thor!” he shouted, sounding breathless and in pain. “What happened to containing the flying ones?!”

Before he realized it, Thor was whirling his hammer and he flew to the fiery roof. His eyes did a quick scan of the damage, but he just found the bodies of a few of their enemies and Clint looking a little banged up. 

The archer was already aiming at a winged beast that was trailing after Tony, who was trying to contain the beasts to this single area. 

“Are you hurt, Clint?” Thor called as he rushed across the roof, smacking away a beast that had tried to lunge at Clint’s unprotected back.

“I’m fine, man,” Clint replied, though he did sound winded. Each heavy breath he exhaled came out in a cloud against the frigid air. He fired off another arrow and then turned to point toward the roof of another building. “I think the flying ones are being released from there. Maybe go take those out, huh?”

Thor felt his jaw clench around a scathing remark he wanted to fire back at his teammate and instead turned to look where Clint was pointing toward. He whirled his hammer again and took to the air once more. 

He was so focused on making it to the roof, he didn’t see one of the winged beasts that had been flying after Tony turn and start coming toward him. 

Teeth and claws found purchase across his body as the beast ran headlong into him, and Thor grunted in pain. He lost his grip on Mjölnir and found himself hurtling toward a different building. There were calls of his name over the communication link in his ear, but anything else they might have said was drowned out by the sound of crumbling brick as he and the beast collided with the building, crashing straight through. 

They tumbled over one another as they landed in what might have been a studio apartment. Thor landed on his back with the beast on top of him. It let out a snarl and tried to bite at his neck, but Thor managed to catch its massive jaws and keep the beast at bay. He tried to lift his legs to kick the thing off of him, but found they were pinned beneath the body of the beast. Its claws were sinking into his arms and he hissed in pain, straining to keep the beast from besting him.

What was _wrong_ with him?! He was _strong._ Why did he feel so _weak?_ He couldn’t even release one of his hands to call Mjölnir back to him; he wasn’t sure he could hold this thing off one-handed.

There was another crashing sound, and suddenly the beast atop of him was smacked away by a giant green fist. The beast let out a snarl of pain and tried to attack the Hulk as the goliath stepped protectively over Thor. The beast lunged, but the Hulk was stronger.

It was a short battle.

As the limp body of the thing fell in a heap on the ground, Hulk turned around and looked down at Thor, who was still on his back on the ground. He was still standing over him, looking larger than life and half-splattered with the gore of his defeated enemies. His green eyes did a quick scan of his teammate and he snorted, billowing up a cloud against the cold air. “Thor hurt,” he said in a grumble, and it was not a question. He held out his hand.

In any other circumstance, Thor would be on his feet, offering a hand up to his teammates. 

These were not ordinary circumstances, though; Thor was beginning to see that. He was a liability right now, as much as it pained him to even think it.

He accepted the hand.

“Thank you, friend,” Thor said.

Hulk easily pulled him to his feet and steadied him when he swayed for a moment. When Thor glanced up at him, he found Hulk watching him closely, just as Bruce had done a few hours earlier. It was vaguely unsettling.

Hulk’s eyes narrowed and he leaned in so they were at eye level. “Thor sick,” he said.

Thor tried to shake off the meaty hand that had remained on his shoulder. “I am not sick,” he deflected.

Hulk’s eyes narrowed further and he poked a giant green finger at his chest. “Thor _sick,”_ he reiterated in a louder voice.

“I am _not,”_ Thor said again, getting irritated. “I am merely _tired.”_

A voice came through his communication link. “Thor, what’s your position?” Steve asked.

Thor finally ducked out from under Hulk’s hand and called Mjölnir to him. “Apologies, Captain. I am with Hulk. We are in a building of sorts.” Mjölnir hit his palm and he closed his fingers around the handle. “Fear not, we are returning to battle.”

Before Thor could step toward the hole in the side of the apartment, Hulk’s hand landed on his shoulders again. Thor released an irritable sigh and turned to face his teammate. “Hulk, remove your hand from my person before I remove it from yours.”

A grin crossed Hulk’s face like he thought the threat was cute, but he leaned in again so they were at eye level once more. “Thor stay safe,” he said, seriously. “Be careful.”

The irritability coursing through Thor’s veins was put on hold by those words. He stared back at Hulk, unsure of how to respond.

Hulk merely jostled Thor for a moment. “Care-ful,” he said again, enunciating the words as though he was speaking to a child, before he let go and leapt from the apartment and back into the fray.

Thor watched him smash a beast for a moment and then pulled in a deep breath, letting the air out in a long sigh which clouded the air around him. He had a job to do, no matter how off he felt. He had promised to defend this realm, and he was a man who kept his promises.

==

Thor had never made any promises to either the team or SHIELD that he would attend post-battle meetings, so once the jet had landed back in New York, he had returned to his suite. He knew he should have at least removed his armor and cleaned the gore from his person, but by the end of the battle, it was just taking all of his energy to keep standing. He had done what he could to protect his teammates and Midgard from harm; his own personal hygiene could be placed on hold for the moment.

==

When he awoke next, he wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep. He just knew that it was still dark outside and his sheets smelled of decay. Why on earth had he not taken off his armor? The smell alone prompted him to rise. 

He removed his armor and set it aside on the bathroom floor to be cleaned later. He showered to remove any stray pieces of gore from his person. As he was standing under the hot spray of water, he felt a little more like himself. 

But by the time he was finished and dressed again, the thought of removing his sheets and remaking the bed seemed like a colossal task. He stood there in the room, vaguely aware of the darkened night sky beyond the windows with some lights twinkling in other skyscrapers and just staring at the bed and trying to motivate himself to at least strip off the sheets. Why was this so difficult?

 _“Master Thor, you have a visitor,”_ JARVIS’s voice broke into his thoughts. 

Thor blinked back to the present. He wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there, but a look out the window showed some of the lights in a neighboring building had been turned off. “Who is calling at this hour?” he asked after a moment.

 _“Dr. Banner, sir,”_ the AI responded. _“Shall I grant him access?”_

Why was Bruce visiting him? 

“Sure,” Thor replied.

He stepped out of his room and into the sitting room just as there was a knock on the door to the suite. Before he could rouse the energy to call that it was unlocked, the door opened. 

Bruce peeked in, looking dead on his feet. He looked exhausted and like a mess; his hair was sticking up at odd angles and his clothes look like he had slept in them. He likely had, as he was recovering from a transformation and a battle.

It honestly made Thor feel a little less self-conscious about his whole situation at the moment.

Bruce spotted Thor and a tired smile lit up his face. “Hey,” he said softly in a rough voice, stepping into the suite proper. His voice was always all-but-gone after a battle that required Hulk’s presence. “We missed you at the debriefing and the dinner.”

“Oh,” Thor said eloquently. “I…I apologize. I was resting; I did not mean to miss the debrief.”

Bruce gave him an unimpressed and unconvinced look. “I don’t blame you for skipping it,” he said with an amused smile. “I thought we would have at least seen you at the dinner. Have you eaten yet?”

“No,” Thor replied, taking stock of himself, “though I must admit I do not have much of an appetite at present.”

“You should still probably eat something, if you haven’t eaten since before the battle,” Bruce said. “There are plenty of leftovers.”

Thor studied the man for a long moment. Bruce just stared back, smiling that pleasant little smile while looking like he was trying not to fall asleep where he stood. 

Finally, Thor felt his shoulders slump a little in defeat. “Alright.”

Together, they rode the elevator up to the penthouse. It must have been late, as when they stepped off, the lights were low and no one else seemed to be about. There were signs that they had been through here, though. There were dishes on the drying rack next to the sink, a beer bottle and an empty tumbler on the bar, and a blanket on one of the couches. 

“How late is it?” Thor asked in a whisper as they moved softly through the area, as if there were people actually asleep on the couches. 

“It’s like four in the morning,” Bruce replied just as quietly. He pulled out two cartons of leftover Chinese food from the refrigerator and set them in the microwave. As he leaned back against the counter, he rubbed at his tired eyes. “Everyone else should be asleep by now.”

“Why are you up?” Thor asked. Now that he smelled the food heating up, he realized he was kind of hungry.

“This normally happens after a transformation,” Bruce explained as he let his hands fall to his sides. His eyes focused on the middle distance in an exhausted stare. “I always sleep for a few solid hours, and then there’s just this feeling of restless exhaustion that hits until I can fall back asleep.”

The microwave beeped and Bruce pulled out both containers, handing one to Thor. They moved to the seating area, where they both sat down on a couch together before digging in. 

Once he started eating, Thor realized just how hungry he was. He couldn’t remember when he had last eaten; it had been more than a day, he thought. He quickly polished off his carton of food and felt a little more like himself once he had finished. 

As he set the empty carton down on the coffee table across from them, he found Bruce watching him. When their eyes met, Bruce didn’t look away. There was something contemplative on his tired face that brought that self-consciousness back to Thor’s being. “What?” he asked.

Bruce blinked, and then set his carton down as well. “Thor, why are you awake right now?” he asked.

Thor watched the other man for a long moment before he turned his gaze toward the window. It was still about as dark as the city ever got at nighttime. It had stopped snowing. “Same reason as you, I suppose,” he said at last. “Restless exhaustion sounds…remarkably accurate.”

There was a beat of silence between them before Bruce shifted a little on the sofa. When Thor glanced back over, he found Bruce facing him and still watching him. The look on his face made Thor uncomfortable, but he couldn’t look away.

After pulling in what looked like a fortifying breath, Bruce spoke. “Thor, you don’t need to answer this question if you don’t want to, but…but I care about you, and I want you to know that I’m here for you. I wanted to ask how you’re doing, and if there’s anything I or the rest of the team can do to help you.”

Thor stared straight back at Bruce. He hadn’t expected this line of conversation, nor Bruce’s concern for his wellbeing. He hadn’t expected Bruce to be so insightful, to realize that there was something wrong. He remembered Bruce’s questions from earlier in the day, and even Hulk’s comments to him during the battle. How had they known? Thor was still coming to the realization that yes, there was something going on, even if he couldn’t readily identify what. 

He didn’t like it.

A smile crossed Thor’s face and he huffed a laugh, looking off. “I am unsure what you mean, friend,” he said, trying to sound casual. “I am doing well. I am happy to know you care for me—I care for you as well—but you should not trouble yourself with things that are not there. I am fine.”

When he looked back, he looked for disappointment or anger or finality on Bruce’s face. Instead, he found understanding. He didn’t like that either.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it,” Bruce said gently.

“There is nothing to talk about,” Thor said irritably, heat in his voice. He wanted a different reaction from Bruce. He couldn’t stand the empathy on Bruce’s face and how open he was being. “I am _fine.”_

Bruce kept watching him, and Thor suddenly found he couldn’t keep sitting there under that kind of caring scrutiny. That exhaustion was really starting to turn restless, and he pushed himself to his feet and stalked off toward the window. “Why these questions?” he asked, staring at the skyline.

“You’re my friend,” Bruce said behind him from the sofa, “and friends care for each other. I’m worried for you, Thor. You’ve seemed withdrawn these past few weeks, and anytime I have seen you, you’ve seemed so tired. I’m worried about you.” He paused for a moment. “It’s okay to not be okay, Thor,” he added softly.

A lump appeared in Thor’s throat and he struggled to swallow it down. He kept staring out at the darkened sky. He missed feeling like his old self. He _hated_ feeling like this. He hated that his lethargy was affecting his personal life and his ability to help on the battlefield. He hadn’t realized that the others were affected by it, too.

Thor swallowed again and drew a shaky breath in. He was so tired.

He closed his eyes.

“I do not…” he started, but he was unsure how to articulate what was happening. “You are…” He bowed his head and tried to swallow around the thick feeling in his throat before he looked back over at Bruce, who was watching him and waiting patiently for him to complete his thoughts. His expression was open. 

Thor found himself staring back, caught up in the patience and genuine concern radiating off of his friend.

Thor took a deep breath in, trying to ignore how it shook a little.

“I am…I am not okay,” he finally admitted. His voice was low, like saying it any louder would bring the world down. “I do not know what is happening, Bruce. I am just so…so _tired._ All the time. I do not know how to combat it, and I have failed to keep it from affecting my prowess on the battlefield. I…I am at a loss.”

It was more than he had meant to reveal, but just saying some of it out loud made him feel a little lighter. The fact that he had admitted it to someone else made him apprehensive, and he waited with bated breath for rejection to appear across Bruce’s face, for scorn or dismissal or ridicule.

But Bruce just kept watching him with that compassionate look on his face.

Bruce reached over and patted the cushion of the sofa Thor had recently vacated in a clear invitation to sit back down. Thor hesitated, but he stepped back across the room and sank back down into the cushion and folded his hands in his lap, staring down at them instead at Bruce’s expression.

“I do not know what to do,” Thor said in a small voice.

They sat there together in silence for a moment before Thor heard Bruce breathe in. “Thank you for telling me, Thor,” Bruce said softly. “How long have you been feeling like this?”

“Weeks,” Thor admitted, not looking up. “A few months.”

“Did something happen?” Bruce asked.

Thor shook his head. “No,” he replied. “It just…happened.”

They sat in silence for a few moments. Thor kept staring down at his hands, but the comfort of knowing that Bruce hadn’t rejected him made it a little easier to breathe. 

Finally, Bruce spoke up again. “How can I best support you right now?” he asked. “What can I do to help you?”

Thor looked over at Bruce. Bruce was still watching him; he still looked exhausted, to the point he looked like he was starting to shiver a little in his fatigue, but he was still sitting there with him. His expression had turned thoughtful. 

“I am unsure, my friend,” Thor admitted. Then a smile touched his lips, and it felt like the first time he had really smiled genuinely in weeks. “But…but just talking about it with someone has helped. Thank you for that.” The smile fell away and he looked back down at his hands. “I am unsure, though. I do not understand what is happening.”

He paused to look back out the window before glancing back at Bruce. “And as much as I appreciate the offer, my friend, I do not believe you have the energy to be able to assist right now,” he said with a slightly teasing smile.

Bruce smiled a little ruefully. “You may have a point,” he allowed.

“I _do_ have a point,” Thor said, his smile growing. “You should be asleep.”

“So should you,” Bruce replied. 

They shared a moment in silence before Thor spoke up again. “I do not very much like the thought of getting up right now,” he said, his smile slipping away. The energy it took in admitting his problems to Bruce had left him feeling more tired than ever. He did feel lighter for discussing it with a trusted friend, but the energy it took was overwhelming.

“We definitely share those feelings,” Bruce replied. He twisted stiffly and grabbed the blanket before handing it to Thor. “We can just nap here.”

“The others won’t mind?” Thor asked, glancing back toward where Tony and Pepper shared a room on the penthouse level.

“Tony has definitely walked in here and found weirder things, trust me,” Bruce replied, and Thor huffed a laugh. Bruce smiled and started to get comfortable on the sofa. “No one will mind, Thor. Get some sleep.”

Thor watched Bruce shift around until he was comfortable and let his eyes slip shut. Thor tried to follow suit, but it was difficult while sitting upright. He looked at the room on the sofa and determined he could lie down if he curled up a little. So he did just that, letting the blanket cover his legs and allowing the rest of it to cover Bruce’s legs as well. He saw Bruce smile a little, but he didn’t say anything.

Thor smiled to himself and got comfortable. His feet just brushed Bruce’s leg, but he was comfortable and Bruce didn’t seem to mind. He curled up on his side and looked out the window. JARVIS had dimmed the lights down even further until the only light in the room was from the city outside. “Thank you,” he said softly into the darkness.

His eyes slipped shut as Bruce lightly patted his ankle before leaving his hand there as a grounding touch. “Of course, Thor. Any time.”

==

When Thor awoke next, his body was stiff. The room surrounding him was bright, and when he opened his eyes, he had to squint against the sunlight shining against his face. It hurt his eyes, but the light was warm. He looked around the room and found it exactly as it had been earlier, with Bruce still fast asleep on the other end of the couch. His feet had found their way onto Bruce’s lap during his slumber, and Bruce had slumped against the armrest. His hand was still against Thor’s ankle, and Thor felt himself smile.

He felt a little better than he had in weeks. He was still tired, even after just waking up, but he truly felt a little lighter. He wasn’t alone in this anymore, which was a surprising comfort. He had expected to fight this thing on his own; he had never even considered telling someone else and having them ask how they could help him. 

He still wasn’t sure how Bruce could help, but just the offer to help was nice. 

Thor remained where he was, but it wasn’t completely from lack of energy. He didn’t want to wake Bruce, and he wanted to bask in the warmth of the sunlight coming in from the window. He wanted to bask in feeling _okay,_ even just for a moment.

And when Bruce woke up not long later, they both stayed where they were in companionable silence.

==

Over the course of the following days, Thor and Bruce spent more time together. Even if it was just sitting together in each other’s company, it was still nice to know that Bruce was honest in wanting to help. Bruce encouraged Thor to join him on walks around the city when the sun was out and it wasn’t too bitterly cold, and they’d go out for lunch on their way back to the tower.

Bruce didn’t force him to talk about whatever was going on with him, which was a relief. Thor wasn’t sure what he would say; he still didn’t understand it. He just felt off. 

He knew that Bruce was making sure he was eating regularly, which irritated him the first few times he realized what his friend was doing. He didn’t need a _babysitter._ But he realized that he really had been skipping meals in lieu of sleeping or just staring off into nothing and getting lost in thought. Once he recognized his irritation was from his own stubbornness, he sheepishly accepted the assistance. 

And when they would spend time together in the tower, there was never any push to do something that required energy. Bruce would talk to him about projects he and Tony were working on if Thor was feeling better that day, or he would just be a silent companion as Thor just used his energy to sit and consciously not doze off.

Finally, about a week after their late night conversation over Chinese food, Bruce convinced him to take a walk with him outside. The sun was out, and Thor was beginning to realize that he always felt a little better after his walks with Bruce. 

They grabbed lunch from a food cart and continued their walk as they ate. In between bites, Bruce glanced up at him. “Thor?”

“Hmm?” Thor asked around the bite of his wrap. 

“How would you feel if we took a trip somewhere?” Bruce asked.

Thor glanced down at him, still chewing. After he swallowed, he spoke. “Where?”

“Somewhere south of New York,” Bruce answered with a smile. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to realize I’m not much of a fan of the cold. I haven’t spent a winter stateside in a long time.” He burrowed a little deeper into his coat when a particularly cold breeze passed by them. “I think I got accustomed to warmer weather while I was on the run. I haven’t experienced a true winter in a while.”

Thor thought about it as he chewed his next bite. “I must admit that this will be my first winter on Midgard,” Thor said. “I have not spent very much time in Jotunheim, but I did not much care for the colder climes there.”

Bruce smiled up at Thor. “There are plenty of places that will be warmer down south.”

“Will we not be needed here in case of emergency?” Thor asked.

“It’s been pretty quiet here, aside from that mission last week,” Bruce replied. “And if it really came down to it, we could come back. What do you say?”

Thor pondered over it. He really didn’t like the cold all that much at present, and he hadn’t truly had a chance to explore this realm yet. A change of scenery might be nice. 

“Okay,” Thor replied.

==

The sound of a ringing cellphone brought Thor back to consciousness. He blinked awake and sat up as Bruce fumbled for his phone. Some of the other people on the bus glanced back at them momentarily before looking forward again. Thor watched them turn back around while Bruce dug out his phone. 

Bruce answered it, but before he could even say a greeting, Thor heard Tony’s voice come through on the speaker. “Care to tell me what you’re doing in Brazil, Big Guy?” He didn’t necessarily sound _angry,_ per say, but there was something in his tone that sounded vaguely accusatory and upset.

“You should be thankful I didn’t take the tracer out of this phone, Tony,” Bruce replied softly. 

“Please tell me you didn’t run away,” Tony said pleadingly. “You were doing so good. You know the army is off your back and you’ve been doing great work here, and—”

“I didn’t run away,” Bruce cut in. “Thor and I migrated south for the winter.”

There was a beat of silence, and Thor could just picture Tony working that comment through in his head. It was momentary, for what sounded like a bark of laughter came through the phone a beat later. “Banner, you brilliant man. You’d better send postcards.”

“Of course,” Bruce replied, though he was smiling to himself. “Call if you need us for anything that needs avenging or something.”

“You bet,” Tony replied, and even Thor could hear the smile in his voice. “Keep me posted. Stay safe.”

“You too,” Bruce said. “Take care.”

“I mean it. _Keep me posted,”_ Tony said forcefully.

“Good _bye,_ Tony,” Bruce replied. He turned to Thor. “Say goodbye to Tony,” he said, holding out his phone.

“Farewell, Tony,” Thor said with a grin.

He heard Tony start to say something else, but Bruce ended the call and then immediately turned off his phone. Bruce put the phone away and looked back at Thor. “You can go back to sleep, if you want. I know we probably could have flown straight into the city and avoided a bus ride altogether, but—”

“It is fine, Bruce,” Thor replied. He was gazing out the window. The countryside they were driving through was beautiful. The sun was out and there were only a few clouds in the sky. The immediate area around them was flat countryside with a few trees dotted throughout the area, but in the distance, he could see hills and mountains. 

Thor felt a smile cross his lips. “It is lovely here,” he said.

There was a moment of quiet between them before Bruce said, in a soft and tranquil voice, “It is.”

==

The sun was setting by the time the bus pulled into the station that Bruce indicated was theirs. They each had a bag, which they collected before exiting the vehicle. Thor had transformed Mjölnir into an umbrella so he could easily have it in grasp without being readily recognized. 

Stepping off of the bus, Thor found himself smiling at the warmth. It was balmy here, so much warmer than the climes they had left behind in New York. There were tons of people wandering about and Thor listened to snippets of conversations as people walked by, either chatting on their phones or with other people in person. 

The two of them wandered away from the station, Thor gladly following after Bruce as he kept looking around at their surroundings. “Where are we?” he asked.

Bruce glanced up at Thor with a little smile. “Welcome to Rio de Janeiro,” he said, “known for its beaches, music, warm weather, festivals, et cetera. I actually lived here a few years ago—or, well, I lived in Rocinha, a favela not far from here—so I think as long as we avoid that area of the city, we should be fine.”

“What happened there?” Thor asked.

“Uh… Well, I was sort of hunted down by the US government and transformed in a factory I used to work at, and well, um…” Bruce ducked his head a little. “Well, I woke up in another country, so I’m not 100% sure what happened, but I can assume, so if we could just avoid that area, that would be _great.”_

Thor smiled and gave Bruce a pat on the shoulder. “Of course. Lead the way, friend, for I am a stranger here. And if we do happen to run into trouble, I can protect you.”

Bruce gave him a relieved and self-conscious smile. “I’m less worried about me and more worried about the people around us,” he said, “but thank you.” He paused to look around the area again. “To be honest, I’m not very familiar with this part of the city. I was deeper in, away from the touristy parts. I’m sure we can find—”

He paused when his phone buzzed in his pocket, followed by another and another. 

“I thought you turned your phone off,” Thor said in confusion. 

“I did,” Bruce said absently as he pulled it out of his pocket, “but knowing Tony, he built a phone that he could override the power features on so he couldn’t be ignored.” He slipped on his glasses as he opened his messages. His eyes scanned the message and he immediately sighed. “God damn it, Tony.”

Thor peeked over Bruce’s shoulder to read the messages. 

**_Tony: So I see you’ve stopped moving by vehicle. Did you take a bus? Bet it was scenic. I hear Rio is lovely this time of year. Great beaches, great sights to see, warm weather._ **

**_Tony: And great hotels. You should really check out this one I just booked for you two._ **

**_Tony: JARVIS can open your GPS and guide you to it. Tell me all about it when you get back._ **

Thor leaned back and glanced down at Bruce, who was rubbing at his temple. “It is getting dark,” Thor pointed out. “Perhaps we can sleep at this place Tony has kindly provided to us tonight, and then we adventure further into the city in the morning.”

Bruce sighed and readjusted his glasses. “I suppose—”

Another message came through. They both looked down at the phone.

**_Tony: It’s yours for the week. If you need it for longer, just tell the front desk and they’ll be thrilled to extend your stay._ **

“This man’s generosity is ridiculous,” Bruce mumbled to himself, shaking his head. He tapped out a response.

**_Me: Tony, this is too much. I appreciate it, I really do, but this is too much._ **

Tony’s response came a second later.

**_Tony: East-facing windows in the room._ **

That comment confused Thor, but it made Bruce pause. Thor looked at Bruce’s face and saw gratitude there, mixed in with an expression of thoughtfulness. Bruce stared at his phone for a beat longer before he typed out a message.

**_Me: I owe you._ **

**_Tony: You finish that essay on bioorganic chemistry and enzyme catalysis, and we’ll say we’re even._ **

**_Tony: That research deserves to be in every science journal known to man. It’ll revolutionize the field. It’s beautiful. Finish it and we’ll call it even._ **

Bruce huffed a laugh of disbelief and shook his head, but he was smiling.

**_Me: Deal. Thank you, Tony._ **

**_Tony: And postcards._ **

**_Tony: I want at least 6 postcards._ **

**_Tony: From each of you._ **

Bruce didn’t deign that with a response and instead looked up at Thor with a smile. “Well, how about we explore this part of the city for a week before we head deeper in?”

Thor did very much want to explore this area, as this was all new to him, but he did find Bruce’s very quick change of heart on wanting to stay at this hotel curious. He wondered what Tony’s comment about the windows meant and its importance to Bruce, but he could set that curiosity aside for the moment. “That sounds fine, Bruce,” he replied.

==

The following morning, Thor awoke to a beam of sunlight across his face. He pressed his face more into the pillow before he glanced across the room. There was a pleasant breeze coming into the room from the open balcony doors that rustled the soft curtains, pulled back to admit the sunlight. The room was still just as extravagant as it had been last night, but the sunlight seemed to give it an even warmer glow.

Bruce was already awake and was sitting out on one of the chairs on the balcony. He had a tablet in his lap and his reading glasses perched on his nose, but he seemed content. 

It was the most peaceful moment Thor had been privy to in months, and he should have enjoyed it, but that bone-deep exhaustion had returned. He _wanted_ to enjoy it, he really did, but he couldn’t find the energy to get up. This was ridiculous. Bruce had gone out of his way to travel with him, had invited him along, and here he was, just lying in a bed in a fancy hotel room that Tony had been kind enough to provide for them on a moment’s notice. 

He was the worst.

Thor closed his eyes against the sunlight and pressed his face against the pillow. Coming here was a mistake. He couldn’t handle this. He couldn’t—

“Thor?”

Thor’s downward spiraling thoughts were put on hold by the sound of his name. He breathed for a moment before he shifted enough to let one eye peek over toward the balcony.

Sure enough, Bruce was standing there in the doorway, backlit by the sunlight. There was a look of concern on his face, but he smiled sympathetically when Thor looked at him. “Bad day?” he asked gently.

Thor made a grumbling noise and returned his face to the pillow.

“I thought so,” Bruce said. “I ordered some breakfast, if you get hungry. Try to eat something, okay?”

Thor didn’t respond for a lingering moment, then turned his head to glance back at Bruce again. “Are you planning to work a lot while we are here?” he asked.

Bruce glanced down at the tablet in his hands and smiled a little ruefully. “I figured today was a good day to do some,” he said. “The day after traveling a lot should be treated as a recovery day. We spent nearly 10 hours on a flight and then 5 hours on a bus. That’s enough to exhaust anyone.”

“You seem fine,” Thor muttered accusingly into the pillow.

Bruce huffed a laugh. “I traveled a lot before New York,” he said. “It’s kind of just second nature at this point, I guess. I promise, though, that is a _lot_ of time to be traveling.” There was the sound of approaching footsteps, and then Thor felt Bruce’s hand pat his shoulder. “Bad days are okay, Thor. They happen. We’re taking each day at a time.” There was a pause where Bruce just let his hand linger there on Thor’s shoulder. “Recovery days are okay, alright?”

Thor didn’t remove his face from the pillow and swallowed against that thick feeling in his throat again. He nodded. “Alright.”

“Alright,” Bruce said softly. “Do you want some company?”

Thor shook his head.

“Alright,” Bruce replied easily. “If you feel like a change of scenery, I’ll be on the balcony.” He gave Thor’s shoulder another pat before he walked off.

==

The following day, Thor stepped out onto the balcony to join Bruce, but he paused when he saw the view. He hadn’t realized that they were located so close to the water. The horizon was ocean as far as the eye could see. There were boats further out in the water, and as his eyes followed a series of waves closer inland, he found multitudes of people splashing around in the water with carefree abandon. Bright towels and multicolored umbrellas dotted the beach below, where even more people were either lounging about or wandering along the sandy dunes. 

Bruce looked up from his tablet when Thor walked straight to the railing and glanced over it to see down below. There was a street, with cars and buses and motorbikes traveling at intervals. 

Thor watched the cars move around for a moment before he went back to looking out over the water. A warm breeze danced over his face and through his hair, and the sun was _lovely._ He breathed in deep and savored the hint of salt in the air. He regretted not enjoying all of this yesterday, but he was enjoying it now.

He stayed at the railing. He knew that Bruce had paused when Thor had walked out, and he heard when Bruce started to get back to whatever it was he was doing without a word. Thor was so grateful for Bruce’s presence in that moment; the presence of a silent companion was so welcome. 

Thor remained where he was, watching the sunlight shine across the surface of the water like hundreds upon hundreds of little gems dancing along the waves. Another breeze pushed gently around him, and the sun continued to radiantly glow from above.

He took another deep breath in and smiled.

==

The following day, they took a walk around the area. Thor was pleasantly surprised to find that he did not need convincing to leave their hotel room that day. After watching beachgoers yesterday traverse across the sands, he was eager to experience it himself. 

It was another beautiful day, with the sun shining overhead and only a few stray clouds dotting the horizon over the glimmering ocean. They wandered together along the sand, dodging around other groups of people. They shared a few words from time to time, but for the most part, they were both quiet as they just allowed themselves to enjoy the present. 

For a while, they merely stood in the surf, allowing the water to wash over their bare feet before returning to the sea, pulling the sand from beneath them. It was a unique experience and Thor found himself entranced by the feeling for a period of time before his focus returned to watching the water.

Bruce remained by his side, hands in his pockets and eyes on the horizon. There was a tranquility about him that Thor began to realize he had not seen before. Sure, Bruce maintained an element of calm about him back in New York, but seeing him like this, Thor began to realize that it was a façade more than anything. _This,_ this here, was serenity, the kind that Bruce tried so hard to project at all other times.

Thor was beginning to find some of that serenity himself.

The two of them stayed out in the sun for a few hours before they began to trek back toward the storefronts. Bruce insisted they visit one of the shops so they could each send Tony a postcard. Bruce purchased some stamps and they each walked away with a postcard. Thor chose one with the image of a sunny beach. 

By the time they had finished, Thor was beginning to tire. Bruce must have sensed it, for he steered them back toward the hotel with a gentle smile and without a word. The excitement of wandering had exhausted him, but Thor couldn’t find it in himself to feel disheartened by his fatigue. He had a good day, and he wanted to treasure that.

Together, they settled back on the balcony, where Thor continued to watch the water. Bruce had grabbed his tablet to continue working, likely on whatever Tony had wanted him to finish as part of their deal. 

Thor let him work for a while, content to just enjoy the warm weather, before he glanced over at his companion. “Have you any stories from the last time you were here?” he asked.

Bruce looked up, seemingly startled by the question. He met Thor’s eyes for a few beats before he glanced upward in thought. “Well,” he said, reaching up to pull off his glasses, “I remember there was this week where every evening when I would be walking home from work, the streets would be filled with music and dancing. It was during the Rio Carnival, this big yearly festival that’s one of the biggest in the world.” As he was looking off, a smile crossed his face. “Seeing that much life and happiness in other people was so…so _uplifting_ to me at the time. It was beautiful.”

Thor found himself smiling as well. “That sounds wonderful.”

“If we’re still here in February, we’ll go,” Bruce promised, looking back at Thor.

“I look forward to it,” Thor replied.

Over the next few hours, they traded different stories. The talk of dancing and music and revelry reminded Thor of the celebrations and feasts on Asgard. He told tales of his adventures with Sif and the Warriors Three, and listened as Bruce recounted stories of the different people he had met on his vast array of travels. 

And even as that exhaustion had tried to overtake him while abroad in the city, he found he still had energy for this. They shared stories and laughter and moments of somber contemplation as the bright blue skies faded to golds and oranges, to purples, and finally to night.

As Thor fell asleep that evening, he found he was happy. 

It was a good day.

==

They spent a few more days together without plans for the day. They never bothered with a schedule, as Thor’s energy would flag and wane at inopportune times during the day, but he was happy to find he wasn’t completely without energy anymore. The longer they were in this lovely location, the more energy he seemed to have. 

On the final full day they were to be in their hotel, Thor actually awoke before Bruce. He was careful as he snuck out onto the balcony to watch the sunrise. The air had a bit of a chill to it, but there was the promise that it would warm up as the first rays of sunlight struck him. There were a few people about this early in the morning, jogging or biking or heading down to the beach. Thor was content to stand at the railing to the balcony, watching the waves gently caress the shore before being pulled back into the ocean. 

Looking out, he felt himself smile. He felt _good._ He felt like himself again, at least for the moment. He was thrilled to find that he felt more like himself now than he felt lethargic and fatigued. He didn’t know what it was about this place, but he felt rejuvenated. 

He stayed where he was, watching the sunrise and feeling better than he had in months. 

When Bruce joined him about an hour later, Thor was sitting on one of the patio chairs, holding Mjölnir in his hands. He had transformed it back into its normal shape and he was absently running a thumb along some of the runes as he looked out over the water peacefully.

“Good morning,” Bruce said with a smile as he sat down in the other chair next to him. He had two mugs and he handed one to Thor. 

“Good morning, Bruce,” Thor replied, gratefully taking the mug. He breathed in the scent wafting up from the drink and found it herbal and lovely. 

They both enjoyed their tea and the warming morning, drinking in the new day.

After a good ten minutes of quiet, Bruce glanced over at him. “How are you feeling today?” he asked.

Thor looked over at him for a moment and then returned his eyes to the water. He breathed in deeply and as he exhaled, he smiled. “I am feeling good,” he said. His smile widened and he looked back to Bruce. “I am feeling _good,”_ he said again.

Bruce smiled too, this warm and pleased expression that seemed to light up his face. “I’m glad to hear it.”

They both looked out over the water again for a time. The ocean breezes continued to play over them, ruffling their hair and bringing with it scents of the salty air. There were a few wispy clouds in the morning sky, but it looked like it was going to be another gorgeous sunny day.

“How did you know?” Thor asked at length. When Bruce didn’t respond, Thor glanced over to find the other man watching him. “How did you know this would help?”

“I didn’t,” Bruce admitted. He held his mug of tea in his hands, like he was warming his palms. “I’m glad it did, but I wasn’t sure if this was what you needed.”

“A vacation?” Thor asked with a smile.

“More sunlight,” Bruce replied. 

“Sunlight?” Thor repeated, confused. 

Bruce took another sip of tea and turned to face Thor more properly. “There are different types of depression, Thor,” he explained gently. “Some people feel depressed for years and years, and others have their depression come and go. And then there are others who tend to experience depression during the winter, when there is less sunlight each day. New York only gets a little over nine hours of sunlight each day during December. For lots of people who live that far from the equator, those long nights affect their brain chemistry to the point where depression settles in.”

Thor took a moment to let all of that sink in. Bruce was watching him, still looking gentle as ever and with a note of concern on his face. “Is that what is wrong with me, then?” Thor asked. “Depression?”

Bruce smiled a little. “Well, I’m not that kind of doctor, so I don’t mean to assume,” he hedged, “but it definitely seemed like it. Seasonal affective disorder, to be more specific, which is basically winter depression.”

“I have not heard of such a disorder,” Thor said. “Depression I have heard of. There have been cases of depression on Asgard, certainly, but not winter depression.”

“How much light do you get in the winter on Asgard?” Bruce asked.

“…certainly more than nine hours,” Thor replied as it dawned on him.

He looked back out at the water, where the sunlight was glittering along the water at different intervals. He thought back to their walks around New York, where Bruce would only wait until the sun was out before gently corralling him to take a stroll around the city. Bruce had brought him to a place that not only had longer days, but where the weather was nicer so they could enjoy outdoor activities in the sun for longer periods without combatting the bitter cold. 

He laughed.

“You are brilliant,” Thor breathed with a bright smile. He tipped his head back to appreciate the sun against his face, letting his eyes fall shut. “You are absolutely brilliant, you scheming little man.”

“Scheming?” Bruce repeated with a laugh. 

“You _knew_ this would work,” Thor said, still grinning happily. “You lured me out into the sun in New York, and then you brought me to an entirely different continent so I could get more sunlight. You _knew_ this would work.”

“I remember asking if you wanted to come with me and you saying yes,” Bruce pointed out mildly. “Don’t make it sound like I kidnapped you. You agreed to this.”

Thor laughed again and he treasured how freeing it was to actually laugh once more. He felt lighter than air. In the roughly two weeks that had passed since he had confessed his strange malady to Bruce, Bruce had not only figured out what was wrong, but provided a solution that had _worked._

“I’m glad you’re starting to feel better,” Bruce said sincerely, cutting into his thoughts. When Thor finally opened his eyes to look over at him, Bruce was smiling. “I’m really glad, Thor.”

Thor found himself smiling again. “Thank you, Bruce,” he said. “Truly, I owe you a great deal.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Bruce replied. “Friends help each other.” He paused for a moment and then tipped his head lightly. “So I should probably warn you now about Tony wanting to move your suite to a floor with east-facing windows in the bedroom and installing a light therapy box somewhere in your suite.”

For a moment, Thor was confused before he recalled Tony’s text message about this hotel room having east-facing windows and that the sun rose to the east on Midgard. 

“Brilliant,” he laughed again, shaking his head.

Bruce just smiled. “I’m just glad to help.”

“I am grateful for it,” Thor replied. “Truly, I am.”

==

They had just sat down to figure out where they were headed next when Bruce’s phone rang. They were seated on one of the beds, their bags already packed up so they would be ready for check-out the following day. 

Bruce pulled his phone out of his pocket and Tony’s name appeared on the screen. “Want to take bets that this is a call to assemble?” Bruce asked casually.

“I do not like the odds of betting against that,” Thor replied, grinning when Bruce snorted a laugh as he answered.

“Hey Tony,” Bruce said, putting the call on speaker.

“So, I hate to call while you and Point Break are vay-caying,” Tony began, “but there’s been an incident.”

 _Called it,_ Bruce mouthed to Thor.

 _Vay-caying?_ Thor mouthed back. 

Bruce grinned, but turned his attention back to the phone. “What’s the problem?”

“Apparently there are some weird wasp-like things crawling out of a rift in Argentina,” Tony replied casually. 

“That’s horrifying,” Bruce replied just as somberly.

“Just another Tuesday: fly to another country, fight some interdimensional bugs, close a rift in time and space,” Tony went on. “We’re heading out on the Quinjet now. We’ll pick you two up in about three hours. Sorry to cut the beach time adventure short. We’ll pick you up on the beach soon. JARVIS will send you the intel in a second.”

“Alright, see you soon,” Bruce replied, and then the call ended.

Sure enough, a moment later, the map of Rio they had been browsing on the tablet was replaced with a scan that showed the rift. 

Bruce exhaled a long breath before he slid the tablet closer to them. “Well, we can always revisit this area again in the future,” he said. “I think you’d like the Carnival.”

As Bruce pulled the images from the tablet up into a holographic projection so they could both more easily review the information, Thor smiled a little. “I would very much like to see it,” he replied.

“February,” Bruce said, turning a little smile over toward Thor. “We’ll see what February looks like.”

“I am looking forward to it,” Thor said.

A smile crossed Bruce’s face. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you say that,” he said. “It’s good to see you excited for things again.”

Thor beamed and wrapped an arm around Bruce’s shoulders to pull him in for a side-embrace. “I have you to thank for that,” he said with a grin. “Now, I have not had a proper battle in months. Let us learn of our foes.”

They reviewed the information SHIELD had provided in about an hour and a half, going over possible weaknesses and coming up with possible strategies to relay to the team once they were together again. It was well after midnight when they grabbed their bags and checked out of the hotel. 

They couldn’t see very many stars where they were, as this was a very populated city and the lights from the buildings behind them kept this place very much alive. It reminded him of New York, in a way. They wandered along the sand for a while, alternating between conversation and just silence. The waves continued to come on shore and the occasional person would walk by, but the beach was largely theirs.

Even without the sun, Thor was enraptured by this place. 

When the Quinjet became visible just beyond the horizon, Thor looked down at Bruce. “Thank you again, Bruce, for everything. You got me back on my feet. I cannot fathom the words to express my gratitude.”

Bruce looked up at him and smiled. “Thor, _you_ got yourself back on your feet. You just needed a little help, is all, and there is no shame in that.”

Thor smiled peacefully to himself. “Then thank you for staying with me and helping me through this.”

“You’re very welcome,” Bruce replied. 

The Quinjet arrived and settled in the sand not far from them. Thor lifted Mjölnir and called his armor down to him in a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder. Once the sand had settled around them again, Thor stood with his head held high and feeling like he was truly worthy to hold Mjölnir again. He felt like Thor, God of Thunder, Prince of Asgard, Son of Odin. He was the strongest Avenger.

He would continue to fight this and he would win, for he had help.

He had never felt stronger.

**Author's Note:**

> ***SPOILERS FOR ENDGAME***
> 
> I saw Endgame recently and while I like portions of what they did with Thor's character, I didn't much appreciate the writers turning his depression into the butt of so many jokes and playing it off for laughs. Depression is a very real illness, and having a character so clearly struggling with it being the comedic effect for a large chunk of the movie makes me sad. 
> 
> I had started this fic *years* ago when I saw a prompt on the kinkmeme asking for depressed!Thor. The movie just prompted me to finish it.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!
> 
> Also, don't read the comments in case of SPOILERS.


End file.
